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Susumu Kodai (2199)
Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, Earth[http://yamato2199.net/character_kodai.html Official Space Battleship Yamato 2199 website character data] | death_place = | placeofburial = | placeofburial_label = | placeofburial_coordinates = | nickname = | birth_name = | allegiance = Earth Federation | branch = United Nations Cosmo Navy | serviceyears= | rank= *Ensign (until February 2199) *Lieutenant (promoted February 2199) | servicenumber = | unit = | commands=*''Yuunagi'' UNCF-00885-2201 *''Yamato'' BBY-01 (acting commanding officer) | battles=Click for full list | battles_label = | awards= |relations=*Yuki Mori (fiancée) *Mamoru Kodai (brother) *Noriko Kodai (mother) *Go Kodai (father) *Maki Kodai (aunt) *Yoshio Kodai (uncle)[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=13776 Anime News Network article on Space Battleship Yamato 2199] |laterwork= |portrayedby=*Daisuke Ono (Japanese) *Christopher Wehkamp (English) }} :This article describes the character Susumu Kodai as depicted in ''Space Battleship Yamato 2199 and its sequels. For his counterpart in the original Space Battleship Yamato and its sequels, see Susumu Kodai (OS). For his counterpart in the live action film, see Susumu Kodai (live action film).'' Susumu Kodai is a United Nations Cosmo Navy officer serving as head of the space battleship ''Yamato'''s tactical division. In addition to his important role in many of the ship's military victories, Kodai contributes to Garmillans and humans finding a way out of the Garmillas-Earth War. History Early Life Susumu grew up with his supportive elder brother, Mamoru. In or after 2193, most of the Kodai family was killed in the planet bombing of Earth by the Great Garmillas Empire, leaving only the two brothers. Mamoru gave their father's harmonica to young Susumu, a gift that Susumu would continue to carry with him into adulthood ("Farewell to the Solar System", "The Whisper of the Witch"). Kodai followed in his elder brother's footsteps several years later and enrolled in the National Space Defense Academy. While there, he studied under the guidance of the academy's headmaster, Ryu Hijikata, and received practical instruction from Isami Enomoto, a long-time non-commissioned officer. His academy classmates included Hajime Hirata and Daisuke Shima ("Messenger of Iscandar", "Toward a Sea of Stars", "The Wolf from Another Dimension"). At some point after graduation, Kodai was assigned to the 7th Strategic Space Group. Kodai was stationed for a number of weeks with Shima in the ruins of Arcadia Port on Mars as part of Operation M in January 2199, waiting to rendezvous with an alien emissary. The alien vessel crashed into the Martian desert and the emissary died after ejecting, but Kodai and Shima successfully retrieved the wave motion core that she had tried to deliver. After the two were picked up from Mars by the flagship Kirishima, Kodai learned that his older brother's ship had been destroyed by Garmillan forces at Pluto in a disastrous battle that had been nothing more than a decoy. Back on Earth, he angrily attempted to confront the commanding officer, Admiral Juzo Okita, but was stopped and chastised for his behavior by Yuki Mori. Kodai relented and calmed himself, but later that day, an alarm sounded at the approach of enemy planes and a carrier. Eager for a chance to avenge his brother's death, Kodai encouraged Shima to help him commandeer an experimental Cosmo Zero fighter undergoing maintenance and flew off to intercept the intruder near the Japanese island of Kyushu. Despite being able to quickly target the reconnaissance plane, Kodai had neglected to notice that his fighter was unarmed; several seconds later, the fighter suffered engine failure and crashed into the dry sea floor. Kodai and Shima both walked away and watched from hiding as other UNCN fighters engaged the Garmillas planes, and what appeared to be an ancient sunken battleship fired on the carrier. Only after they were rescued did the two realize that what appeared to be an ancient relic would be their next assignment: the space battleship Yamato. ("Messenger of Iscandar", "Toward a Sea of Stars"). 2199: Voyage to Iscandar At the send-off ceremony before launching to Iscandar, Kodai learns that he has been promoted two steps to the rank of lieutenant, and that he would head the ship's tactical division--the post that had been planned for his elder brother ("Toward a Sea of Stars", "Memories of the Blue Planet"). In addition to overseeing Yamato's conventional weapon systems, the massively powerful wave motion gun, and its Hayabusa fighter squadron, Kodai is given personal use of one of the ship's two Cosmo Zeros ("The Trap on All Sides"). He periodically takes charge of security teams aboard the ship, and leads landing parties in potentially dangerous situations ("A Choice for the Future", "Under a Rainbow Sun", "Prison Planet 17", Space Battleship Yamato 2199: Odyssey of the Celestial Ark, "The Forever War"). Waging War Kodai frequently proves his combat ability during the long journey. In addition to fighting at Carell 163, Balun, Leptapoda, the Garmillan homeworld, and elsewhere, he makes a number of noteworthy combat achievements. He becomes the first human to fire a wave motion gun very soon after departing from Earth, obliterating the Garmillas floating continent at Jupiter ("Escape from the Jupiter Sphere"). Flying in his Cosmo Zero along with Ensign Akira Yamamoto in her own plane, the two discover the Garmillan base on Pluto that has been laying siege to Earth and destroy its cloak, exposing it to a devastating bombardment Yamato ("The Sun Sets on Pluto"). He later devises a strategy for fending off stealth attacks from a subspace submarine by flying a reconnaissance mission with his old instructor, Chief Enomoto ("The Wolf from Another Dimension"). When Yamato comes under a fierce assault in the Rainbow Star Cluster, Kodai fights the enemy on three fronts--from his post on the main bridge as gunner, alongside security officers against troops who board the vessel and kidnap Lieutenant Mori, and in his Cosmo Zero against enemy fighters ("Under a Rainbow Sun"). Months later, he temporarily assumes command of Yamato and takes the ship into the Battle of Shambleau, winning Earth's first victory against a new threat, the Gatlantis Empire (Space Battleship Yamato 2199: Odyssey of the Celestial Ark). He is also involved in engagements with several unconventional opponents during the mission. During a skirmish on the moon Enceladus, he and his landing party fight a team of Garmilloid military robots, defeating them and taking a damaged Garmilloid back to Yamato ("Gravestone on a Frozen Field"). As he and Lieutenant Mori are conducting a reconnaissance flight, the crew of Yamato is subdued by a telepathic attack from a Jirel serving the Garmillas empire. Upon returning to Yamato, Kodai and Mori struggle through hallucinations created by the telepath in order to regain control of the ship ("The Whisper of the Witch"). On the remote planet Beemela 4, a landing party led by Kodai encounters a very large and aggressive insect-like animal. Once the animal retreats, Kodai realizes that it had chased the landing party through the jungle toward the wreck of a ship from Iscandar. Kodai and the others investigate the wreck, and find a piece of technology containing complete stellar charts--crucial information for Yamato to find the quickest route to Iscandar ("A Choice for the Future"). Finding Peace An end to the war and a new era of peaceful relations between Garmillas and humans is made possible in part by Kodai's work. His first meeting with a Garmillan--the first known face-to-face meeting between the two species--happens when a fighter pilot, Lower Storm Leader Melda Dietz, is sent to Yamato to act as a go-between the battleship and the warship where she is stationed when they find themselves stranded in a subspace void. Kodai ignores Dietz's initial insults and demonstrates patience and a willingness to respect an agreement to work together on an escape from the void, earning her trust. When circumstances turn Dietz from an envoy into an unexpected prisoner, Kodai conducts his interrogation of her in a cordial and sympathetic manner. Dietz is eventually released, convinced that her empire's supposedly vicious enemy is reasonable and honorable ("Graveyard of the Universe", "A World I Once Saw"). Dietz returns months later as a rebel fighter against the empire's regime, and Kodai works with and fights alongside her throughout her stay ("The Planet That We Head For", "One Man's War"). On the return voyage to Earth, Kodai and his landing party become trapped on the planet Shambleau with a Garmillas team. Kodai makes peace between the two groups a priority, inspired by his brother's belief in the potential for understanding between their peoples. As Garmillans and humans investigate ways to escape, Kodai also attempts to keep his team's true identity a secret from the Garmillan commander, Major Fommt Berger, who is bent on revenge for the death of his own commanding officer in combat with Yamato. When the truth is exposed, Kodai talks to Berger, lowering his own weapon and leaving himself defenseless. Berger accepts Kodai's gesture, and after leaving the planet, the two join forces to fight a Gatlantis expeditionary force invading the planet (Space Battleship Yamato 2199: Odyssey of the Celestial Ark). 2202-2203: Terezart and the War with Gatlantis Following the return of Yamato to Earth, Kodai is eventually granted his own command, the battleship Yuunagi, operating as part of Frontier Defense Task Force 38[http://yamato2202.net/character_mechanic/ Official Space Battleship Yamato 2202 website character data] ("[[AD 2202 - Revive, Space Battleship Yamato|AD 2202 - Revive, Space Battleship Yamato]]"). Personality In many ways, Susumu Kodai is a reflection of his elder brother. As his experience grows, he demonstrates the natural, instinct-driven way of living that Mamoru displayed during his lifetime. However, the younger Susumu is more prone to acting recklessly combative, and creating more difficulties in the process ("Messenger of Iscandar", "What Lies Beyond"). It is only as the long and difficult mission to Iscandar progresses that he gradually learns more self-control and becomes more like the leader that his brother was. He comes to accept his brother's faith in cooperative relations with Garmillas, and he demonstrates friendliness and compassion toward Lorelai Loer and other Jirel who had been manipulating him and his crew. He grows to recognize the importance of showing strength and calm to his shipmates in difficult times, even going so far as to hide the apparent death of Lieutenant Mori and his own grief and exhaustion over it in an effort to maintain ship-wide morale. He also learns from his brother's former commanding officer, Admiral Okita, and builds a closer bond with him ("What Lies Beyond", Space Battleship Yamato 2199: Odyssey of the Celestial Ark, "Memories of the Blue Planet"). : Susumu commemorates Mamoru in the months following his brother's presumed death. He brings the harmonica given to him by Mamoru on Yamato's first mission. Just two days after launching, Susumu finds Mamoru's sidearm lying near the wreck of his brother's destroyer on Enceladus. He brings it with him, and places it on his brother's grave on Iscandar ("Gravestone on a Frozen Field", "The Distant Promised Land"). : During the voyage to Iscandar, Susumu Kodai falls in love with Yuki Mori. Their relationship begins on a harsh note when Mori berates him for his disrespect toward Admiral Okita ("Messenger of Iscandar"). However, the two gradually come to respect each other professionally and become friends ("Gravestone on a Frozen Field", "Farewell to the Solar System"). Only after Mori is abducted does Kodai realize the depth of his feelings for her ("Under a Rainbow Sun", "One Man's War"). He stays by Mori's side whenever possible after she is gravely wounded during [[Battle of the Galactic Theater Gate|an attack on Yamato]]. He breaks down in tears at the prospect of losing her forever, but once she makes a sudden recovery, he finally shows his affection for her, and the two share their first kiss ("Memories of the Blue Planet"). The couple are engaged to be married as of 2202 (Space Battleship Yamato 2202: Warriors of Love). Kodai's closest friend during the journey is Daisuke Shima, his academy classmate. The two generally work well together and are stationed next to one another on Yamato's main bridge. However, Kodai's willingness to treat a Garmillas prisoner, Melda Dietz, with respect and to entertain her claim that Earth was the aggressor in its war with her empire causes a brief rift between them ("What Lies Beyond"). He also connects with Akira Yamamoto, who he brings onto the ship's fighter squadron over the squadron leader's objections ("The Trap on All Sides"). Having both lost beloved older brothers over the course of the war, the two quickly establish a very good rapport ("Farewell to the Solar System"). She later becomes attracted to him, but he does not respond to her attraction. Kodai remains friends with her at the same time that he and Mori are becoming closer ("Point of No Return"). Chief Enomoto initially believes that Kodai has little skill in dealing with women, but is encouraged to see that he has "gotten better" when Yamamoto volunteers to join him for repair work ("Gravestone on a Frozen Field", "Farewell to the Solar System"). Battles Garmillas-Earth War *First Battle of Pluto (Operation M) *Second Battle of Pluto (Operation M-2) *Battle of the Protoplanetary System *Battle of Carell 163 *Raid on Balun *Battle of the Rainbow Star Cluster *Riot on Prison Planet 17 (also part of the Garmillas Civil War) *Battle of Garmillas *Battle of the Galactic Theater Gate (also part of the Garmillas Civil War) Gatlantis-Earth War *Battle of Shambleau *Battle of the Eighth Floating Continent *Battle of the Eleventh Planet *Battle of Stravase (also part of the Garmillas Civil War) *Liberation of Terezart *Blockade of Terezart *Battle of Saturn Gallery Image:Susumu Kodai 2202.png|Susumu Kodai in 2202. References Category:Humans Category:Yamato Crew Category:Male Characters Category:UNCN Personnel Category:Yamato (2199) Characters